Roderick S. Baker joined the Winona Health board of directors in December. A Winona resident, Baker is the quality manager at RiverSide Electronics, Ltd., in Lewiston, Minn.
“I am looking forward to making meaningful and positive contributions to the advancement of Winona Health’s mission,” said Baker. “Local healthcare is extremely important. High quality healthcare at a local level provides the opportunity for people to seek preventive and restorative care that they might not otherwise obtain. Winona Health in our community makes this possible.”
Baker served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Bolivia for two years in the 1990s. He said, “While it may seem like an extreme example, I saw many people who did not have local healthcare available to them. That made a strong impression on me.”
Baker earned a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering and a bachelor of arts in Political Science from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and a master of arts in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, District of Columbia.
In 2012, Baker taught as an adjunct faculty member in the Global Studies and World Languages Department at Winona State University. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Winona and former member of the Rotary Club of Washington, DC. He is the author of “Take Charge of Your Future: A 1-2-3 Guide to Making Good Career Choices,” a guidebook for college students published in October 2013. Baker serves as an emeritus member of the Purdue University Libraries Dean’s Advisory Council. He also serves on the board of directors of Home and Community Options in Winona.
Born and raised in Flint, Mich., Baker’s family, including parents, Roderick and Mary, and sister, Carol, now reside in Wisconsin. He is engaged to Moira Corcoran from Winona.
In addition to Baker, Winona Health board members are: Ken Mogren, chair; Scott Biesanz; Steve Blue; Scott Birdsall, MD; Matthew Broghammer, DO; Vicki Decker; Gary Evans; Richard Ferris, MD; Herb Highum; Pastor Rick Iglesias; Jim Killian; Hugh Miller; Daniel Parker, MD; Rachelle Schultz, president/CEO; Kim Schwab; and Mark Wagner.
The Winona Health board is composed of community members elected to serve on the board on a volunteer basis. The board is responsible for establishing Winona Health’s strategic direction; quality and safety; financial oversight; and setting organizational policy. Board members are committed to guiding Winona Health in its mission to improve the health and well-being of the greater Winona area community while remaining a strong and independent, not-for-profit community-owned healthcare system.